Score card holder or writing tablet



Jan. 10, 1933. J. s. BAKER 1,894,145

SCORE CARD HOLDER 0R WRITING TABLET Filed April 30, 1931 awuvnlfoc JOHN S. BHKER Patented Jan. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES JOHN S. BAKER, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA SCORE CARD HOLDER OR WRITING TABLET Application filed April 30, 1931.

My invention relates to score card holders or writing tablets.

An important feature of my invention consists in the novel means for mounting a platform for supporting the score card or paper.

The mounting means is so constructed that when in use the platform rests upon a table, desk or other structure and is held against slipping. When not in use the platform can be swung off the table and in the act of swinging it automatically rises, thus obviating all danger of marring the table top.

The platform is carried by a tubular member which not only forms a pintle for rotatably mounting the platform, but also serves as a pencil-receiving receptacle. The upper end of the tubular member extends through and is secured to the bottom of a tray, so that if the tray is used as a receptacle for ashes, such ashes are prevented from falling into the tubular member.

My invention also includes the combina tions and details of construction disclosed in the specification and drawing and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my device;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, partly in section;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the plate which forms a holder for the supporting bracket;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of said bracket;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the ash tray, pencil receptacle and the arm by which the platform for supporting a score card is supported by said receptacle; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the upper end of the platform with its attached paper clip.

Similar numerals designate the same ele ments throughout the specification and drawing.

. Referring to Fig. 1, a plate or platform 11 for supporting a score card is pivotally mounted upon a table to swing in a horizontal plane. An arm 12 projects from one edge of said plate or platform and is mounted upon a hinged or journaled pintle 13. As shown in Fig. 5, this pintle is hollow and is Serial No. 524,096.

clamps the tray and the arm 12 against a shoulder 16 on the pintle. The hollow pintle serves as a receptacle for a pencil and, since the upper end of the pintle and the nut carried thereby project above the bottom of the ash tray, ashes deposited in said tray are prevented from falling into the hollow pintle. A rivet 17 may also be used to secure the arm 12 and ash tray together. This not only permanently attaches the ash tray to the arm, but braces and strengthens the arm by reinforcing it where the bottom is attached to it. In the lower end of the pintle 13 may be placed a pad 18 of felt or rubber to receive the point of a pencil standing upright in the hollow pintle.

The pintle is supported in a bracket shown in Fig. 4:. The bracket comprises a webbed portion 19 and a cylindrical bearing portion 20 formed by slotting a plate of metal between its ends and bending such plate upon itself to produce a hollow cylinder at each of the upper and lower edges of the web. A flange 21 is formed at the upper end of the upper cylinder. V-shaped or other radial cam grooves or notches 22 are formed in the upper surface of this flange. Corresponding projections 23 are formed on the lower surface of the flange 16, and these projections fall into the grooves 22 when the tablet is in proper position upon the table and also when it is swung oil' the table to a position 180 from the position it occupies when resting on the table. At the edge of the web 19 opposite the cylindrical portion, the ends of the metal sheet are turned outward at right angles, forming flanges 24 collectively of dovetail form. These flanges fit within a metal socket or holder, shown in Fig. 3. This socket consists of a tapering or dovetail plate 25 having a flange 26 at its upper edge and guides 27 at its sideedges.

At that end of the platform which is uppermost when the platform is resting on a table is a clip 28 :for holding score cards or papers thereon; As shown, this 5 clip :is integral with the tablet, but such construction is not essential. A projection may be formed. at said end of the tablet and the clip may be attached thereto, or any other suitable form of clip may be used.

On the bottom of the tablet, buttons or feet 29 are secured. These may be'made of rubber or any other suitable materiai, or they may be formed out of the material of which the tablet is composed; The tablet itself may be of metal, fiber board or other material, and Z the arm 12 may be integral therewith or separately formed.

The flange 26 on the holder 25 serves as a guide or gauge to enable the person who mounts the device upon a table or desk to Secure it in a perfectly true position so that when the parts are assembled the axis of movement of the platform 11 will be perpendicular to the top of the table and the platform will be seated squarely on the table top. When the holder is secured to the table the flanges of the bracket are slipped into place in the guides 27 and the platform and ash tray may then be mounted on the bracket by slipping the pintle 13 into the tubular hearing 20 of the bracket. When the platform is positioned either as shown in full lines or in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the projections 23 lie within the V-shaped grooves 22 and releasably hoid the platform and tray in position. After the platform has been moved to the position shown in dotted lines it may be returned either by swinging it back or continuing its movement forward another 180.

The grooves 22 and projections 23 serve a dual function. When the platform is on the table in position for writing it is held against accidental displacement by this arrangement. The parts are so proportioned that when the platform is in this position the feet 29 rest upon the table top. W'hen the platform is turned, the projections and grooves serve as cams to lift the platform from the table at the beginning of its swinging movement, and it is held in this elevated position until the platform has swung to its idle position shown in Fig. 1, when the projections again drop into the grooves and hold the platform in place. The lift ng movement just described keeps the feet 29 from dragging on the table top and marring or scratching the finished surface.

The construction shown in Fig. 5 is particularly useful and compact. The hollow pintle serving as a pencil holder insures the presence of the pencil at all t mes to be used with the tablet. The ash tray permits the writer to smoke without littering the floor or depending on some other receptacle to receive the ashes. By the use of the pintle 13, I have made it possible to pivotally mount the platform, as well as to mount the ash tray in a convenient fixed position. The

pintle and ash tray also serve to reinforce the arm 12 when the ash tray is clamped upon the arm by means of the nut- 15 and rivet 17.

lVhat I claim 1. The combination of a tablet or platform, a intle at a right angle to the plane of the ta lot, a bracket provided with a socket in which said pintle is mounted and having a V-shaped radial groove at its upper end, and a projection on the pintle and movable with the pintle, said projection resting in said groove when the tablet is in its operating position.

2. The combinat on of a body having a pintle disposed at substantially a right angle thereto,a flange on said pintle, bearing means in which said pintle is mounted for rotation and sliding movement and on which said flange rests, intcrcngaging means between the flange and bearing means for normally securing the body in a predetermined p081- tion, said means comprising a cam projection and a cam groove engaged thereby and being operable by rotation of the body to s'multaneously elevate the body and the pintle.

3. A combination according to claim 2 wherein the pintle extends through the body, and means are carried by the pintle for securing the body rigidly against said flange.

4. A device of the character described, compr sing a tray having an opening in its bottom, a tubular member mounted in said opening, said tubular member having its upper end open and projecting above the bottom of said tray'and its lower end closed and depending from the tray, a plate projecting laterally from said tray in a plane at a right angle to the axis of said tubular member and supporting means on wh ch said tray is rotatable on'an axis coaxial with said tubular member.

5. A device according to claim 4* wherein the supporting means comprises a socket in which the tubular member is mounted.

I11 testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN S. BAKER. 

